MILTON — A Milton youth is now one step closer to attaining his Eagle Scout badge, thanks to a visit to his school by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

Joseph Boulanger, a Milton Mills resident, is a member of Wakefield Boy Scout Troop 198, having spent his Cub Scout years with Milton Pack 155. He has currently progressed to the rank of Star, in his five years of Scouting, and is working on his Life rank, which is just below Eagle. One of the badges he must achieve to reach Life, is Citizenship in the Nation, and one of the requirements is to write to his senator or member of Congress.

Joey, as his friends and family call him, suffers from Fragile X Syndrome, which is akin to autism and, as a consequence, he finds writing difficult. Accordingly, his father Roger Libby, contacted Shaheen's staff and asked if Joey could meet her.

“I thought we'd have to go to Concord or Manchester, but she said she would come to Milton,” said Libby.

On Wednesday morning, Shaheen and several members of her staff, arrived at Damon House, which a special needs unit attached to Nute High School

The senator is back in New Hampshire while the Senate is on a short recess, and as her home is in Madbury, she said that she would be delighted to make the short trip to Milton, an aide explained.

Joey, now aged 19, was accompanied by his dad and his brother, Dawson, age 16, who is also working on his Eagle badge. Dawson, with Life status, is only five merit badges away from his goal.

Because of Joey's disability, the normal requirement of making Eagle Scout by the age of 18 does not apply in his case.

The trio sat down at a table with the senator, and chatted for 20 minutes or so, and whenever Joey became overtaken by shyness, his dad would help him out.

Shaheen learned that Joey is part of an Easter Seals program, and in addition to his days at Damon House, he helps with Meals on Wheels in Rochester on Mondays and Fridays and assists at the Wakefield Community Center in Union on Wednesday.

She also learned that he is the apprentice of Farmington magician James Locke, and his budding act includes a dummy called Bob. Joey's aim, in this field, is to get good enough to entertain in retirement homes and hospitals

The conversation with the senator moved on to museums in Washington, D.C., and as Libby has taken both his sons to the Aerospace Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian, notes were compared.

There was more common ground established, when Sen. Shaheen revealed that she had been a Girl Scout, and she used to get cold, camping.

“What's your favorite thing in Scouts?” she asked Joey.

“Sleeping,” he said immediately, with his dad then broadening this remark to encompass weekend camps.

The conversation turned to Dutch ovens and camp food, including eggs and peach melba.

Looking around her, Shaheen recalled that her husband, Billy, had taught at Nute back in 1969.

“Where you here, then?” she asked Roger Libby.

“No, I was off in the service,” he replied, referring to a tour in Vietnam (Over 40 years on, he is now a member of the VFW.)

“I will be going back to Washington soon. We will try to confirm a new Secretary of State and a new Secretary of Defense,” said Shaheen, noting that President Barack Obama's nomination for the latter post, former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska was an enlisted man who fought in Vietnam (in 1968.)

“He will bring a very useful perspective,” said Shaheen

With schedulers tapping their watches, Shaheen looked a trifle reluctant to leave a conversation that had been genuine and intimate, and getting to her feet, she warmly shook the hands of the two Scouts and their father.

“Joey's parents do so much for him. He is included in everything, and it's very important for him to have the opportunity,” he said.

In more formal terms, Wikipedia says, “Supportive management is important in optimizing functioning in individuals with fragile X syndrome, and may involve speech therapy, occupational therapy, and individualized educational and behavioral programs.”

Things don't get much more supportive than a personal visit from one's U.S. senator.

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